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IMPORTANT RECALL and Safer Cigarette Update

© Floyd Tilton

IMPORTANT NOTICE OF RECALL

"ESI Lederle has announced a voluntary recall of one lot (number 9991052) containing 4.2 million capsules of its generic Etodolac (Lodine®) Capsules 300 mg. This lot of Etodolac was contaminated with acebutolol hydrochloride, a drug used for high blood pressure and certain heart problems. According to the company's press release this may, in rare cases, cause serious or life-threatening side effects in patients with underlying heart conditions." Patients should return all affected 300 mg Etodolac Capsules to ESI Lederle by calling 1-800-747-7016.

Update on Safer Cigarette
On May 12, 2000, I wrote about the need for testing on a "safer cigarette" being promoted by the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. Now that testing has been done and this update explains the results of those tests.

According to an article in the October 5, 2000 Third Age Ezine, the new, "safer cigarette", Eclipse, actually contains more carcinogenic materials than a conventional cigarette. Testing done by the state of Massachusetts indicates that the levels of two cancer causing chemicals, acetaldehyde and acrolein, are 734 percent and 475 percent more respectively than normal cigarettes. Additionally, several other chemicals are present in approximately the same amount as found in a regular cigarette.

R.J. Reynolds spokesmen indicate that the testing was improperly done and that their own tests showed that the levels of the above mentioned chemicals were 64 and 87 percent lower than a normal ultra-light cigarette. They indicate that the state study was invalid because it used a small sample for testing. R.J. Reynolds claims it will reduce a smoker's risk of cancer, bronchitis and possibly emphysema.

It should be noted that several other tobacco companies are attempting to develop or market cigarettes which are promoted as being safer. These include Phillip Morris and an independent company called Star Scientific, however no information is available on testing results for these cigarettes.

The bottom line still remains that there is no such thing as a cigarette that is safe and smoking still remains the primary cause of many pulmonary diseases. At the present time, any cigarette marketed as safer than the normal cigarette should be viewed with caution. Remember, your mind may be fooled by the advertising, but your lungs will know the truth.

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